The ASTI has today said it will not object to people other than teachers providing voluntary supervision or substitution duties for schools next month following its decision to withdraw from these services from March 4th.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio's Morning Irelandprogramme this morning, ASTI president Ms Catherine Fitzpatrick said the union would not stand in the way of a contingency plan outlined by the Minister for Education Dr Michael Woods on Saturday.
In a statement Dr Woods said he was disappointed that ASTI workers had rejected the "generous offer" of €34 per hour for the supervision and substitution work which up to now was done on a voluntary basis.
The ASTI voted last Friday to reject the Government’s offer aimed at stopping the lengthy dispute over teachers’ pay conditions.
The ASTI said 71 per cent of members voted in favour of rejecting the offer, and 29 per cent voted to accept. The union’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) recommended a rejection of the offer - worth about €1,300 a year to teachers. The union also said it did not want schools to be closed and called on the Minister to ensure this did not happen.
Dr Woods said "the whole country will be disappointed at the low turnout in the ballot which meant that just 31 per cent of ASTI members voted to reject the offer. Many people will be utterly dismayed that ASTI has decided, from the 4th March next, to withdraw from supervision and substitution duties".
However, he said he had a duty to take care of the "most important people - the students and their parents", and said he had instructed his Department to implement immediate contingency plans, so as to avoid disruption for students.
Dr Woods also said he and his Department would continue to make themselves available for discussions with the ASTI, "to seek a resolution to the challenge which faces us".